I just called my mom. Apparently, the first time I was on an airplane, I was seven months old. My first cross-country road trip, I was a week old. I went on my first international trip at three to Mexico to visit my family in their village there. When I was in middle school, my Mom and Dad bought an RV, pulled my sister and me out of school for almost three months, and we traversed most of the United States, driving from New Jersey to Florida to Texas to California to Colorado to many other places. There has generally, through my entire life, not been a point I’ve had off school for more than three days that our family didn’t take the opportunity to go somewhere new. All this to say, traveling has always been a constant in my life.
I sometimes consider Fall of 2023 the inciting incident of my life. I think up until that point, I think I might’ve been sort of coasting through my own life. I didn’t really know who I was, what I wanted, or how to actually achieve it. This topic has been covered on the blog, so I’ll keep it short and simply tell you that the months afterward were transformative in every sense.
Around that time, I decided nothing was holding me back, and I wanted to go on a solo backpacking trip in Europe. It had always been in the back of my mind. I knew I wanted more perspective on the world, to see places and things I never had before, to experience cultures different than my own. I knew that if I didn’t go, I’d probably not go for a long time. I knew I could do it, I had that necessary faith in myself and my abilities. I knew it was something I wouldn’t regret. I knew I would go alone, that I wanted to. And that fact never scared or even concerned me. It felt like the perfect time, my only easy shot at this. I had worked all summer and had the money. I was studying at a university I knew was temporary, and would be transferring to a new school for the coming fall. I had the right mindset.
When my mother was around my age, she went on a similar trip of her own, and many, many more after that one. She’s been to so many different countries all over the world. Sky-diving in Fiji, teaching and living in Germany, hiking to Everest base camp in Nepal, living on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico, and probably more incredible things I don’t know about because I’m not allowed to read the stack of her travel journals sitting in our attic until she’s dead (as she often reminds me). That winter we sat on one of the blue benches of the boardwalk in Ocean City, staring out at the Atlantic Ocean, and I told her I was going to just go. She encouraged me without hesitation. I think she knew how I felt. My dad was a little more wary, focused on the safety aspect. But he knew that once I had the idea, there was nothing that would stop me, so he was also on board.
And thus began the preparation. After some internet research, I crafted a packing list. My mom drove to Maryland to pick up an Osprey 40L backpack I had found on Facebook marketplace for a quarter of the price for a new one. I bought a secondhand Canon digital camera and a new SD card. I got a youth Eurail pass. I bought locks, travel towels, a pair of SAS boots, a pair of chocos, shampoo and conditioner bars, packing cubes, and a bunch of other stuff. I have many recommendations now for packing for a trip like this. Some stuff I thought was essential I ditched along the way, and some things I would definitely do differently. But for my first trip, I honestly feel like I packed pretty damn well, and pretty damn light, too.
**I think it’s slightly important to mention that I paid for this entire trip myself, from airfare there and back to accommodation to food to activities and everything in between. I recognize it’s a privilege to be able to take a trip like this. But if it’s possible for you, I think it’s truly worth it to go however you can make it work.
As I was leaving during winter, I planned to borrow a nice traveling coat of my sister’s. Only after driving to JFK airport and opening my trunk to grab my luggage did I realize I forgot to bring it! So I grabbed the only other jacket in my car at the time, an OCHS cheerleading windbreaker, and brought that. My first day in Paris, I thrifted a light North Face jacket I wore for the rest of the cold parts of my trip. That Ocean City Cheer jacket is now at a clothing donation center in Versailles. RIP.
So, after all my packing, and minimal amounts of planning, off I went. I flew into Paris late February of 2024 with a hostel booked for four nights. What I did not know, was where I was going after Paris, how long I would stay in Europe or how I’d get back to the States, or what I’d do while I was gone. Hell, I didn’t even know how to get from the Paris ORLY Airport into the city.
I ended up flying home from Madrid in May, after making it to eleven different countries and two continents. I hate to sound so archetypal and pompous, but the months I spent traveling changed my life in endless ways.
I think until I left, I thought of so many dreams or places as far away, somewhat impossible. The type of stuff everyone says they want to do soon, that is, until they die never having actually done the thing. Oh yeah! I’d love to try all the food in Japan or swim in the Mediterranean or teach English in a foreign country or hike South America or do x or y. But I think the rational parts of our brain believe these things will never actually happen. Someday things. Now it feels different to me. Like I have a world at my fingertips that is within reach. More accessible.
Yet at the same time, the world now feels impossibly large. There are so many places to go, so many things to discover, to experience, so many lives I could lead. So many jobs and places and languages and cultures and art and people. How in god’s name do I do everything, see everything, go everywhere? It’s tough to make peace that I can’t.
I’m typing from Aeropuerto Internacional Benito Juárez right now, waiting at my gate with only my 25L school backpack after a week in Cuidiad de México. A small adventure to keep me occupied until I get my degree next spring, and probably jet off somewhere new for a while.
I left for my Europe trip about a year ago now, and I still think it’s one of the best choices I’ve made. I recently ran out of iCloud storage, and had to move a lot of the footage and photos I’ve taken to an external hard drive. I definitely was not a vlogger, and there was a lot I never took out my camera for, but being able to watch back some of my favorite moments of that trip was so lovely, and I decided to make a video of some of the footage I took over there. It’s pretty raw, (I am very much a beginner and this was my first exercise in using Adobe Premiere Pro), but I’m pretty happy with how the final project turned out. It’s sort of lengthy, and mostly just raw footage of scenes and scapes I thought were pretty. But, like everything on this site, it’s more for me to look back on than for anyone else (and my mom, who said she would still watch it no matter how long it turned out to be).
Skip to here if you just want a shorter lil recap
I could probably talk about this trip endlessly, and would be so so happy to chat with anyone who’s more interested or thinking about doing something similar. But I believe that’s all I have for now. Moral of the story is to get out there, and go see new parts of the world, because you won’t regret it.
and now for some….
SCRAPBOOK HIGHLIGHTS
FRANCE
Paris and Versailles
For some reason, I was obsessed with France when I was a kid. Which is why I chose to learn French in high school, and then college. Paris was also the cheapest city to fly into, so it was my first stop.
I was sort of a mess there. Jet-lagged, confused, still learning my footing on the whole travel thing. But regardless, it was surreal. I drank chocolat chaud, ate a baguette, spoke some French, the whole nine yards.
I was in Shakespeare and Co, a famous bookstore near Notre Dame, reading Simone De Beauvoir Le Deuxième Sexe, when I noticed the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen reading Just Kids by Patti Smith, which I had just finished a week prior. We sat in the upstairs reading room and discussed the world looking over the Seine for an hour, and we’re Instagram mutuals to this day.
I took a day trip to Versailles, which was incredible, and really does force you (or maybe just me) to think about the class divide. Walked around the city too, pouring antique shops and eating the most delicious gratin dauphinois. I also spent so long in the Louvre my head was spinning from all the art (worth it).
Nice
Nice was nice! I met another cool Aussie and a Brit, and we smoked on the beach together my first night back in France, which was surreal. I was here about two months into the trip and got sick for the first time, so my mother blessed me with two nights in a hotel room. I balled tf out. They had a complete complimentary French petit déjeuner and I took full advantage. I drank my café and ate my croissant on my private balcony, and washed every single item of clothing I had. The city itself was so beautiful, I’d love to live there. The water is gorgeous, the center city adorable, and the mountains beautiful.
Marseille
I really liked Marseille. I shared an apartment with an Italian guy my age who spoke zero English, and my Italian skills are seriously lacking. So we had an entire conversation through Google Translate about how we’re both not sure what to do with the rest of our lives and that’s okay.
BELGUIM
Brussels
Brussels was adorable. Obviously saw the lil Manneken Pis statues, wandered around the streets, ate a Belgian waffle (duh), and enjoyed the best live jazz I’ve ever seen at the cutest little jazz club with a Ukrainian man I befriended. Also had my first entire French conversation with a stranger I met in the square.
People have asked me what the best food I ate on this trip was, and while I don’t have a real answer because it’s hard to compare such amazing different types of foods from so many different places. That being said, french fries are actually Belgian friteries dot the streets. And oh my god. I literally cannot tell you what they do to these, but they were some of the best things I’ve ever tasted. I dream about them still.
THE NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam
I loved Amsterdam so much. Met Didrik and Christina and instantly became besties. I still talk to them both (love you!). Walked the canals, saw the red light district, checked out the coffee shops ;), browsed some zine and vinyl shops, ate lots of cheese, (briefly) went to a rave, ate so much stroopwafel, befriended some Dutch models, and took my first ever shot of tequila (for free after an excellent karaoke performance).
Noordwijk
This was the cutest little beach town that (almost) reminded me of my own hometown. I visited in the dead of winter and could absolutely tell it’s a tourist town. I walked the beach during sunset, strolled the downtown, had more amazing coffee, and most notably, had the most incredible dips and pastries.
GERMANY
Frankfurt
I accidentally booked a hostel in the middle of Frankfurt’s red light district! So that was an interesting experience. I also had to walk the entire city to get there, as the transportation system was on strike when I arrived and no buses or metros were running! But I really loved the city regardless. I met an Australian teacher around my age and we spent the days together, eating Frankfurter Grie Soß, getting ice cream and pretzels, and taking the longest walking tour ever. At this point, it was starting to get a bit warmer, and flowers were blooming everywhere, which was gorgeous.
Colonge
Köln was a unique city for sure. I stayed a bit outside of the city, but had an entire hotel room to myself, which was so needed. Did you know hotels in Germany have entire rooms as the shower? Because that was (amazing) news to me. I went to the Lindt museum of chocolate (and ate many truffles). I tried (many) local beers, and stared at the most intricate and mesmerizing church I have ever seen.
Stuttgart
My mother lived in Stuttgart, teaching on the American military base there, and my grandfather on her side was stationed there during the Vietnam war. I think it’s cool to know I walked the same streets she did when she was around my age. I spent a day in one of the most beautiful parks I’ve ever been in. I also saw one of the most pristine and unique libraries of my life.
Aschaffenburg and Blankenbach
I have family in Germany on my mother’s side, and reached out to them before I left. My mom’s cousin, Ellen, invited me to stay with her in Blankenbach. My grandfather was stationed closeby during the Vietnam War, and would visit his family here, bringing them much needed coffee or flour or other food and supplies the war was making scarce. He made a wedding cake for his cousin with rations from other soldiers that he gambled them for. There were pictures of him on the walls of their home, and he spent a lot of time there. My mom also lived in Stuttgart for a while and would visit the family in Blankenblach all the time. They were like a second family to her. So she stayed in the same house as I did, and as her father did. We’ve all walked down the same little streets. She always felt she had a home there, and I was excited to see it.
Needless to say, this was a meaningful visit. Ellen lives with her mother Regina in a very quiet little village nestled in the green countryside. I met her dog and horses, and enjoyed some homecooked German food. We also went on a hike together in the mountains. I saw the church that my grandfather helped to build, saw my family name on tombstones there. I was welcomed by Ellen’s older brother Franz for a family dinner, and the next day he took me to Aschaffenburg, the closest real city. We got gelato and wandered around the park, and he showed me a castle, explaining Bavaria and its origins. Ellen and I also went to a Renaissance fair at an actual castle, and the view and vibes were both absolutely incredible. She also showed me some books and albums she had made with family photos and history, and I got to see pictures of my grandparents and even my mom. I enjoyed my time here so much, and hope to visit again someday. While I was there, Ellen suggested I go visit her nephew, Stefan, at his university in Freiburg. I texted him, and he offered to let me stay on his campus for a weekend, so off I went.
Freiburg
Freiburg was so much fun. It was interesting to be on a campus outside of the states, and I got to learn a little about college in Germany. I met all of Stefan’s roommates and friends, who were all so cool and fun. We went on a big night out and I remember drinking the best beer I’ve ever had in my entire life, before ending the night with perhaps too many shots. We biked to their university library, got ice cream and ate it along the river, and explored a little. One of my favorite things about Freiburg, besides how charming it is, is the little river that runs along the streets. There were some kids who had little boats they tugged along with a string, and it was too adorable.
SWITZERLAND
Interlaken
My time in Switzerland was surreal. Interlaken is a city between two massive lakes surrounded by the Alps. The water was legitimately turquoise, apparently because of the minerals in it. I went to Coop, got myself some Swiss chocolate, hiked out to one of the lakes, and tried to take in all the breathtaking beauty around me.
ITALY
Milan
Milan wasn’t my favorite, but it has one of the prettiest and most detailed churches I have ever seen, along with the most gorgeous shopping hall I have ever stepped foot in. I wandered around all the luxury fashion stores and bought exactly nothing. I did spend one day in a park here, journaling and drinking a beer in the sunshine.
Pisa
And can you believe I didn’t get a single good pic of me holding up the tower?
Genova
Pesto is from Genova, and fuck I love pesto. Genoa was so much fun. I ate the best cannoli of my life. I was having a conversation with another backpacker at my hostel in French, when a Brit came in and needed help finding a coffee mug. I showed him where they were, and he told me that my English was really great, which I thought was a little funny. I tried an Aperol spritz on a night out with some German friends for the first time, and got some delicious kebab at 2am. I also snuck into a mega yacht club, armed with some pesto pasta and an entire ball of mozzarella cheese. I watched the sunset over the mountains right on the water, and it was one of the most memorable nights of my entire trip.
Cinque Terre
Cinque Terre is five tiny little towns on the Italian Riviera connected by either train or hiking path. Touristy sure, but I’m a tourist, and this was by far the most beautiful hike I’ve ever gone on.
Rome
Rome makes me think of my sister even though she’s never been there. But the sheer amount of history there, god she’d love it. I met another American girl and we did Rome together. I swear we walked the entire city in one day. And wow, I love Rome. The Roman Forum, the Collesuim, Trevi Fountian, the Panetheon, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican and its museum, the Sistine Chapel, I did it all. Between that was lots of pizza, wine, pasta, pastries, gelato, coffee, and shopping. Also had an amazing conversation with a street peddler.
Florence
Like every single other American study abroad student, I loved Florence. It really is just beautiful, in every sense. The art, the buildings, the river, the bridges, the stores. I made my own charm necklace here in a little jewelry shop, and it’s one of my favorite pieces of my jewelry. I also bought a painted jean jacket from a local artist’s shop. I listened to Good Luck Babe by Chappell Roan the day it came out, sitting on the bridge staring at the bustling city. I met some Moroccans who let me smoke some of their hash, got asked out to get some wine by my waiter, got some pasta made fresh in front of me for six euro, and went into leather stores just to smell them.
Catania, Sicily
I stayed in a bed and breakfast run by the most classic old Sicilian man, who was so great. He taught me how to make real Italian espresso with a moka pot on the burner, and offered me some great advice. I had my own little balcony that looked out over the sea, and I drank my espresso and smoked my Parisian cigarettes on it, feeling like I’ve succeeded in life.
MALTA
Oh my god, Malta was so fun. SO fun. I called up Christina (who I had met maybe a month prior in Amsterdam) and we were both in Germany and freezing, so we met up again in Malta. It’s beautiful, cheap as hell, and so fucking fun. We found vespas you could rent by the minute and leave anywhere, and we went everywhere on those things. The very first time I drove one, we were heading to a beach across the island, and I had a random British girl on the back of it, and I hit both a wall and a car (at slow speeds). But I got the hang of it and was speeding down the Maltese highways in no time. Christina and I went to a snorkeling beach and made peanut butter sandwiches, jumped off the cliffs, and tanned topless. We wandered around Valetta at night, stole ingredients for a fancy dinner and made a proper meal in the hostel kitchen. We went out clubbing with a couple guys from Colorado and a girl from Latvia, and ended up at a strip club at some point in the night (but to be quite honest I don’t remember that part). We also met an Indian and another Aussie, and caught a boat to the next island over to swim in the blue lagoon together. And, shockingly, it was so blue! We drank Coronas and smoked hand rolled tobacco cigarettes on the cliffs, and ugh everyone just go to Malta.
MONACO
I saw a woman feed an entire restaurant meal to her pomeranian while I ate my four euro grocery store sandwich. Also went to Monte Carlo!
SPAIN
Madrid
I loved Madrid! The city is gorgeous and huge, and there was lots to do. I spent an entire day in the park, and got a portrait done by an art student for a dollar. I happened to be there during the national dance festival, and there were so many people dancing in the city center, which was so cool to stumble upon. I went clubbing one night with some hostel friends after pizza-box drinking game during which I switched tops with a Japanese guy. I ate the amazing churros at one of the most famous places in Spain, Chocolatería San Ginés, and generally just had a great time just wandering around. I was also there during the massive celebration in the streets when Real Madrid (the soccer/futbol team) won La Liga, so there was just a lot going on in the best way.
Sevilla
I stopped in Sevilla, and for the first time on my trip, got to visit someone I knew from home. The lovely Nicole, who was living there teaching English at the time. She worked at our bakery for years and is just genuinely one of the sweetest, smartest, coolest, and inspiring women I know. The only person I know from the states who had gone to live abroad, she had built the most lovely life for herself there, which she generously shared with me. She took me all around and introduced me to her equally cool friends. We went to an international cinema to see the Italian film There’s Still Tomorrow (C’è ancora domani) which was incredible and probably on my list of favorite films. We did yoga in the park, went out to lovely dinners, ate delicious tostada and tortilla, and went shopping at darling little tile shops. On a walk along the Guadalquivir river, I went to buy a handmade butterfly necklace from an abuelita’s stand, and when I realized I didn’t have enough cash on me, she bought it for me. I drank some good café, got to browse some cool vintage shops, and just the most amazing time here, almost completely thanks to Nicole.
Barcelona
Hello to the studyabroaders! Barcelona was pretty cool. I did have some amazing food, and the city was bustling. The churches were also stunning, and so was a massive outdoor flea market I perused. But possibly my favorite part was the hostel I stayed at had a full service espresso and cappuccino machine that was free and open 24/7. I drank a probably concerning amount of coffee those days.
Málaga and Algeciras
Excellent beer, excellent vibes, and excellent tapas.
Marbella and Benahavís
Dynamic duo back again. I spent the days around my 20th birthday at Christina’s apartment in Marbella. It was honestly perfect in every sense. Hanging out and staying with a friend after traveling for so long is just the best feeling. I got to ride in a car with a friend and just listen to music, which was just the best feeling after so long without it. We went grocery shopping and made real meals in the real kitchen. We ate many tapas and wandered around beautiful Marbella together. We watched Abbott Elementary and rotted on the couch and showed each other the best YouTube videos of our childhood. I got to blow out candles on an Oreo cake, which felt very special. We spent a day in Benahavís tanning on the cliffs of the river, and jumping off the big rocks there. I was terrified and a group of Spanish teenagers had to peer pressure me into jumping. One of them led me and Christina to a really pretty spot down the river, and the water was so clear and cold and just gorgeous. It was one of my favorite places of the trip.
MOROCCO
Tangier
I loved my time in Morocco. I had booked a hostel room there, and was switched to a semi-private room because the owner didn’t feel comfortable putting me in a room if a man was staying in there (yay free upgrade!). I had a lot of people assume I was local because I spoke French (Arabic and French are the most commonly spoken languages in Morocco), which will forever be the coolest thing to me. An older Canadian woman I met told me I had to go to a hamam (bath house), and who am I to say no to that? So I followed her instructions (google maps is essentially useless here) and went to a local place. Stripping and having my entire body scrubbed down and washed by a woman I had never met before who spoke zero English was definitely a unique experience, and I highly recommend it to everyone. I bought some perfume and a scarf, feasted on some of the best food I’ve ever had, wandered the medina, saw so many street kittens, smoked some cigarettes, used a squat toilet for the first time, and saw some great art. I saw one of the most gorgeous sunsets of my entire life. I saw horses running along the beach, which was cool as hell. I also went on a date with a Moroccan doctor in town for a medical conference. We wandered around the city at night (couldn’t do that without a man!) and had some mint tea and great conversation. I had a great time and had one of the most romantic kisses of my life so it was a win in my book.
PORTUGAL
Lisbon
Lisbon was my first city in Portugal and felt so… Portuguese? By the time I got here, I had filled my entire first journal (a perfect gift from my best friend before I left :)) so I bought a brand new red one from an art supply store. I went to the cutest bookstores, stared out at the sea and contemplated my existence, reunited with my true love of a restaurant Honest Greens, and ate my very first pastel de nata.
Albufeira
Spent all my days on the beach, soaking in the sun. Lots of British people around, and I think it’s a bit funny how you can just sort of tell someone is British, probably somewhat like Americans. I met two really sweet Canadian guys here and we went out to dinner and clubbing together. Both obsessed with hockey, and one that grew up on a dairy farm, which is, for some reason, adorable to me. He said they called all the cows by name and couldn’t open presents on Christmas before they went out and milked them.
Porto
Porto is simply stunning. Everything is beautiful. I ate many more pastel de natas, chased some excellent views, took a bus to the beach, thrifted some cool clothes to take home, found the coolest little bar on top of railroad tracks, enjoyed the local beers, stumbled on a free outdoor rock concert, and had a truly incredible time. I was also there for university graduation, which takes over the city for the day and has really unique and cool traditions and clothing.
And just like that, it was back to the US of A
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